Step-in shoe with strap

ABSTRACT

A step-in shoe of novel design that includes a heel strap that can be donned by the user without the necessity of manipulating the heel strap with the fingers to correctly position the heel strap about the user&#39;s heel. The step-in shoe is constructed from a novel, lofted foam material that permits the heel strap to flex downwardly as the foot starts to enter the body of the shoe, but automatically positions itself about the heel of the user as the user&#39;s foot fully enters the internal chamber of the body of the shoe.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to shoes. More particularly the invention concerns a novel step-in shoe with heel strap.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art

The prior art is replete with designs for various types of shoes. Many of the prior art shoes include heel straps that circumscribe the heel of the user to assist in maintaining the shoe in place on the user's foot. The disadvantage of these prior art shoes resides in the fact that when donning the shoe the user must bend over and manipulate the heel strap in a manner to ensure that it properly circumscribes the heel. This is inconvenient and time consuming and particularly difficult for the elderly and infirm.

It is the forgoing drawback of the prior art that the present invention seeks to address by providing a shoe that is constructed of a novel material and is of a unique design so that as the user steps into the shoe, the heel strap will first be flexed downwardly by the user's heel and then will automatically position itself about the user's heel without the necessity of the user manipulating the heel strap with the fingers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a step-in shoe of novel design that includes a heel strap that can be donned by the user without the necessity of manipulating the heel strap with the fingers to correctly position the heel strap about the user's heel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a step-in shoe of the aforementioned character that is constructed from a novel, lofted foam material that permits the heel strap to flex downwardly as the foot starts to enter the body of the shoe, but will automatically position itself about the heel as the user's foot fully enters the internal chamber of the body of the shoe.

Another object of the invention is to provide a step-in shoe as described in the preceding paragraphs that is attractive in appearance, comfortable to wear and one that can be manufactured relatively inexpensively.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a generally perspective view illustrating one form of the step-in shoe of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a generally perspective view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the foot of the user starting to enter the body of the shoe.

FIG. 2B is a generally perspective view similar to FIG. 2A, but showing the heel strap of the shoe being flexed downwardly as the foot of the user further enters the body of the shoe.

FIG. 2C is a generally perspective view, similar to FIG. 2B, but showing the foot of the user fully inserted into the body of the shoe and showing the heel strap having automatically moved from the position shown in FIG. 2B to a position wherein it correctly circumscribes the user's heel.

FIG. 3A is a generally perspective, fragmentary view, similar to FIG. 2A, further showing the foot of the user starting to enter the body of the shoe.

FIG. 3B is a generally perspective, fragmentary view, similar to FIG. 2B, further illustrating the heel strap of the shoe being flexed downwardly by the user's foot.

FIG. 3C is a generally perspective, fragmentary view, similar to FIG. 3B, illustrating by the use of directional arrows the forward movement of the user's foot into the body of the shoe and the automatic upward movement of the heel strap as the user's foot continues to move forwardly.

FIG. 3-D is a generally perspective, fragmentary view, similar to FIG. 2C, further illustrating the movement of the heel strap into the correct position about the user's heel as the user's foot is fully seated with the body of the shoe.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B and 2C one form of the novel step-in shoe of the present invention is there illustrated and generally designated by the numeral 14. In this form of the invention, the step-in shoe comprises a body portion 16 having a hollow, foot receiving forward portion 16 a and a rearward portion 16 b. Body portion 16 also includes an internal chamber 16 c (FIGS. 2B and 3A) for receiving the forward portion of the user's foot.

The step-in shoe further comprises a generally “U”-shaped, yieldably deformable heel strap 18 having end portions 18 a and 18 b and a bight portion 18 c. End portions 18 a and 18 b are affixed to and preferably integrally formed with the rearward portion 16 b of body portion 16 in the manner shown in FIG. 3A of the drawings.

The step-in shoe 14 is preferably constructed from a lofted foam material that includes a resin comprising an Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) co-polymer-based material. In manufacturing the step-in shoes of the invention, the EVA resin, originally in pellet form, is heated to a liquid state. This liquid resin is then injected into a mold that has been heated prior to receiving the resin. The liquid resin is allowed to set, at which time the mold is opened, the formed step-in shoe is removed from the mold and placed on a cooling last, where it is allowed to air dry. During the molding step, a relatively small shoe that conforms to the size of the mold is created. However, when the mold opens, the small shoe expands substantially in size and then, when air cooled, contracts to a final size.

In the molding step of one form of the invention, additives are included with the EVA base to create an expansible and cross-linking material. More particularly, an expanding powder is added which produces gases that cause the material to rise as it sets within a mold. Then, when the mold is opened the molded part instantaneously expands and the dimensions of the part increase rapidly. Reference should be made to European Patent 0 802 039 A2, filed on Mar. 25, 1997 for additional details concerning this molding process. This novel process provides a relatively soft step-in footwear piece having an integrally formed heel strap that exhibits the novel flex-and-return characteristics previously described.

As illustrated in the drawings, the rearward heel-receiving portion 16 b of the step-in shoe, which is integrally formed with the forward, foot-receiving portion 16 a, functions to receive and support the heel portion of the user's foot when the user's foot is fully inserted into the foot-receiving chamber 16 c (FIG. 2C).

As previously mentioned, and as shown in the drawings, the yieldably deformable heel strap 18 is integrally formed with the rearward heel-receiving portion 16 b and extends angularly upwardly therefrom. When donning the shoe of the invention, the user initially inserts the forward portion of the foot into the internal chamber 16 c in the manner best seen in FIG. 3A of the drawings. As the foot of the user enters the internal chamber 16 c, the heel of the user engages the heel strap and urges it downwardly in the direction of the arrow 23 of FIG. 3B from a first upwardly extending position wherein the strap is spaced-apart from the heel-receiving, or support portion 25 to a second downward position wherein said strap is disposed proximate the heel-receiving portion. As the user inserts the foot more fully into the internal chamber 16 c in the direction of the arrow 27 of FIG. 3C, the heel strap 18, due to it's novel construction, automatically tends to move in the direction of the arrow 29 of FIG. 3C from the second downward position to the first upwardly extending position shown in FIG. 3B. As the forward portion of the user's foot is fully seated within the foot-receiving chamber 16 c in the manner shown in FIG. 3B, the flex-and-return heel strap 18 will automatically move into the heel circumscribing position shown in FIG. 3D of the drawings without the necessity of any manipulation of the foot strap by the user.

Having now described the invention in detail in accordance with the requirements of the patent statues, those skilled in this art will have no difficulty in making changes and modifications in the individual parts or their relative assembly in order to meet specific requirements or conditions. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, as set forth in the following claims: 

1. A step-in shoe comprising: (a) a hollow, foot-receiving forward portion for receiving the forward portion of the user's foot; (b) a rearward heel-receiving portion integrally formed with said forward foot-receiving portion for receiving the heel portion of the user's foot; and (c) a yieldably deformable heel strap fixedly connected to said rearward heel-receiving portion, said heel strap being deformable by the heel portion of the user's foot during the initial insertion of the user's foot into the hollow foot-receiving forward portion from a first upright position to a second downward position, said heel strap being automatically movable from said second position to said first position upon the forward portion of the user's foot entering said hollow foot-receiving portion of the step-in shoe.
 2. The step-in shoe as defined in claim 1 in which said shoe is constructed entirely from a lofted foam material.
 3. The step-in shoe as defined in claim 2 in which said lofted foam material includes a resin comprising an Ethylene Vinyl Acetate co-polymer-based material.
 4. A step-in shoe constructed entirely from a lofted foam material, said step-in shoe comprising: (a) a hollow, foot-receiving forward portion for receiving the forward portion of the user's foot; (b) a rearward heel-receiving portion integrally formed with said forward foot-receiving portion for receiving the heel portion of the user's foot; and (c) a yieldably deformable heel strap integrally formed with said rearward heel-receiving portion and extending upwardly therefrom, said heel strap being deformable by the heel portion of the user's foot during the initial insertion of the forward portion of the user's foot into the hollow foot-receiving forward portion from a first upwardly extending position wherein said strap is spaced-apart from said heel-receiving portion to a second downward position wherein said strap is disposed proximate said heel-receiving portion, said heel strap being automatically movable from said second downward position to said first upwardly extending position upon the forward portion of the user's foot being fully seated within said hollow foot-receiving portion of the step-in shoe.
 5. The step-in shoe as defined in claim 4 in which said a lofted foam material includes a resin comprising an Ethylene Vinyl Acetate co-polymer-based material.
 6. A step-in shoe constructed entirely from a lofted foam material that includes a resin comprising an Ethylene Vinyl Acetate co-polymer-based material, said step-in shoe comprising: (a) a foot-receiving forward portion having a foot-receiving chamber for receiving the forward portion of the user's foot; (b) a rearward heel-receiving portion integrally formed with said foot-receiving portion for receiving the heel portion of the user's foot when the user's foot is inserted into said foot-receiving chamber; and (c) a yieldably deformable heel strap integrally formed with said rearward heel-receiving portion and extending angularly upwardly therefrom, said heel strap being deformable by the heel portion of the user's foot during the initial insertion of the forward portion of the user's foot into the foot-receiving chamber of said foot-receiving forward portion from a first upwardly extending position wherein said strap is spaced-apart from said heel-receiving portion to a second downward position wherein said strap is disposed proximate said heel-receiving portion, said heel strap being automatically movable from said second downward position to said first upwardly extending position upon the forward portion of the user's foot being fully seated within said foot-receiving chamber. 